Top-prop for vehicles



(No ModeL) J. A. KASPAR & W. B. CURTIS.

TOP PROP FOR VEHICLES.

No. 896,937. Patented Jan. 29, 1889.

WITNESSES: IINVEIVTOHS,

Tni R A T T ORA/E Y,

UNITED STATES l l iEo PATnNT J OHN A. KASPAR AND VALLAOE l3. CURTIS, OF POMEROY, OllllO.

TOP=PROP FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,937, dated January 29, 1889. Application filed May '7, '1888. Serial No. 273,145. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may con-corn.-

Be it known that we, JOHN A. KAs'PAR and \VALLAGE B. CURTIS, citizens of the United States, residing at lomeroy, in the county of Meigs and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in A ttachments for Vehicle-Top Props, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to attachments for vehicle-top props; and the objects of our invention are to provide a spring-support for the bows ot vehicle-tops when the latter are folded, and to prmluce said support in. a simple and inexpensive manner. These objects we accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a port-ion of a vehicle-top frame having our improved top-support connected therewith. Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view of said support, and Fig. 3 a central transverse section of the top-prop SlCGWG.

Similar-letters refer-to si milar parts throughout the several views.

A represents a portion of the shifting-rail of a vehicle having projecting therefrom and formed therewith in the usual manner a top prop, B, of the usual form.

i indicates the top-bows, and 11' the brace.

0 represents a cylindrical. metallic sleeve having a central longitudinal hole therethrough, said hole being squared or of such shape as to conform to the contour of the top-prop 1%. The outer periphery of this sleeve cut away slightly near each of its ends to form circumferential shoulders (I. The periphery of that portion of the sleeve between said shoulders is provided with a longitudinal slot or groove, e.

Connected with and made to project from the sleeve 0 in the manner hereinafter de scribed is a spring-s11pporting frame, f, formed of a spring-wire, F, bent at the center of its length until approximately V-shaped. The rear portions of this wire F are connected with said sleeve by bending the ends of said topwire inwardly toward each other, having said inwardly-bei1t portions resting within the groove c, into which they extend from opposite ends, and haviu g the adjoining rear portions of said wire coiled, respectively, about the ends oil said sleeve, the inner coils bearing against the shoulders (I. The outer and smaller end of the frame is bent downwardly to form a concave hcad,f", shown.

One of the sleeves having first been provided with a suitable covering, q, of patent -leather, or other desirable material, is slipped onto each of the top-props l3 of a vehicle, and the lower joint of the top-brace ll, and a nut, 71, are then secured in the usual manner on the outer end of the prop. The sleeves (l are so placed upon the top-prop B as to cause the frame-wire F to project from the upper side of said sleeves and to eXten d obliquely upwa rd and backwa rd theret'rom.

It will be seen that the 'ehiele-top being lowered the lower top-bows, i, will rest within the bent outer and upper end of the support ing-frame f, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings,iustead of bearing upon. the top-props B, as is usual, thus forming a spring-support for the vehieletop, which will be depressed or raised by any motion of the vehicle-top which may be caused by jolting or otherwise. It will also be observed that the herein-dcseribed sleeve and support maybe connected and applied to any vehicle having top-props, and that the spri ll '-Sl1] ')DO1l herein shown and described will operate to prevent any breakage or damage to the bows or other parts of the top which might occur from the jolting or sudden dropping of the top.

\Ve are aware thata support has been used wherein a supporting-wire is coiled within a sleeve having a slot therein, and having its ends projecting through said slot, and there fore do not claim, broadly, the combination of sleeve and supporting-wire.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In. a vehicle-top prop, the combination, with downwardly, substantially as and for the pura sleeve, C, adapted to be made to inelose the pose specified. metal to 3T0 of a vehicle said sleeve hav- Y "1 ing an zx terl ial longitudhial groove, 0, and 1 3 external shoulders near each end, of the Wire 1 support f, having its ends coiled about the In presence ofsaid sleeve and terminating in the groove i L. H. LEE, and having its outer supporting portion bent C. F. BRANCH. 

